FACTSHEET: Key Points in Federal Budget Debate

By Allan FreyerPolicy Analyst, Budget & Tax CenterSeptember 2013

As Congress returns to work after a long August recess, the debate over the federal budget deficit is returning to the front burner, with several key milestones rapidly approaching over the next several weeks and months. These key “decision points” will significantly shape how Congress tries to reduce the national debt. Each one of these decision points will offer an important choice—whether to take a balanced approach to deficit reduction that includes new revenues and strengthens our economy, or to persist in making harmful spending cuts to key public investments.